UAE-India relations relishing 'golden era'

Top Stories

UAE-India relations relishing golden era
J S. Ahluwalia, president of IOD India; Patrizio Fondi, Ambassador and head of delegation of the European Union in Abu Dhabi; Osman Sultan, CEO of du; Dr Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, group chairman of Al Habtoor Group;Navdeep Singh Suri, Ambassador of India to the UAE;Abdulla Al Saleh, Under-secretary for foreign trade at the UAE Ministry of Economy; and Fariyal Ahmadi, COO of the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre during the Dubai Global Convention on Tuesday.

Dubai - Nations look at future filled with more cooperation

by

Rohma Sadaqat

  • Follow us on
  • google-news
  • whatsapp
  • telegram

Published: Tue 5 Mar 2019, 6:18 PM

Last updated: Tue 5 Mar 2019, 8:26 PM

While relations between the UAE and India have always been strong, and both sides have enjoyed a surge in business across various industries, experts at the Institute of Directors (IOD) Dubai Global Convention 2019 said that bilateral relations between both countries are currently in a "golden era".
Held under the patronage of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of State for Tolerance, the event is being held in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Economy and the Consulate-General of India Dubai, in association with Khaleej Times.
Addressing attendees at the event, Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, UAE Minister of Economy, described the relation between the UAE and India as a very special one. The strength of the relationship between the two countries, he said, was evident in the recent visits of the leaders of both countries to each other.
"The leadership of the UAE is very particular that the stability of the relationship that both countries enjoy at the government level, is also present at the businesses level," he said.
"The UAE is the No.1 trading partner for India in the Arab World and India is the second-biggest trading partner in the world for the UAE. We hope that this will change soon and that India will be our No.1 trading partner soon. India is part of our future growth. It is important for us to continue to invest in opportunities in India across various sectors."
"Our strong ties are the result of the political will articulated by both the UAE and Indian governments and their sustained effort to work together for the mutual benefit of our people," said Abdulla Al Saleh, Under-secretary for foreign trade at the Ministry of Economy.
The Indian community, he said, has made many contributions to the UAE, not only economically, but also socially and culturally. "Since its inception, the UAE has always been a beacon for innovation. We know that innovation is the future of human investment. The leadership of the UAE has emphasised the need for innovation across all sectors in the UAE Vision 2021, which focuses on the country transitioning to a knowledge-based economy."
Navdeep Singh Suri, Ambassador of India to the UAE, said that relations between the UAE and India are going through "a golden era" and will only continue to go from strength-to-strength. "We have a momentum that we haven't seen previously, and both countries are deeply invested in creating a better future for everyone."
Speaking on the theme of the event, J.S. Ahluwalia, president of the Institute of Directors, India, noted that businesses are under unprecedented pressure to perform. "The theme of the convention is 'Reshaping the Board's Strategy for Business Excellence through Creativity and Innovation'. We either innovate or we perish, and business excellence is a journey without a finish line. Organisations need to have a dynamic strategy for creative, diverse, and inclusive boards."
Osman Sultan, CEO of du, spoke about the impact of technologies and how boards need to anticipate the changes in consumer behaviour. "As we move towards he future with innovative technologies that are going to create our smart cities, we should remember to put humans at the heart of the experience. There is more data being created today in seconds than there was in days several years ago. We need to embrace the availability of this data and ensure that we use it to create safer and happier cities for everyone."
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com

Delegates and guests during the Dubai Global Convention on Tuesday.
Delegates and guests during the Dubai Global Convention on Tuesday.

More news from